


Y NOT? The Coffee Engineer

by 8XiongMao8



Category: Marvel
Genre: M/M, Tumblr Prompt, also I too may have a problem with naming things, coffee shop AU, just another coffee shop AU, my first public work don't eat me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-24
Updated: 2018-03-24
Packaged: 2019-04-07 11:25:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14079870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/8XiongMao8/pseuds/8XiongMao8
Summary: This is stupid.Isn’t it?It definitely is.But what can he say? Steve knows how his bug of feeling challenged by literally anything has always affected him.





	Y NOT? The Coffee Engineer

**Author's Note:**

> Hey there pretty people, I’ve seen [this idea](http://kayytx.tumblr.com/post/171581675607) on tumblr from [kayytx](http://archiveofourown.org/users/kayytx/pseuds/kayytx) and decided to just try my hand at it.
> 
> A very poor hand, it’s been really too much time since I’ve last wrote something and I’ve never published anything, I’ve usually sent some of my works to my friends but that's it...
> 
> So please be lenient with me, English is definitely not my first language since I'm from Italy and no betareader was conscripted and hurt in the making of this, so if you see any error at all...it’s totally on me.
> 
> Also, this sorta popped up in my head while I was at work on a dull day when I had nothing to do…and since I’m not from New York I’ve made a quick research on some things but don’t really know anything about the city, so my ideas for this fic are surely wrong.
> 
> Read you at the end!

This is stupid.

Isn’t it?

It definitely is.

He is sure his friends would say so without an hint of doubt. All bland in their tones, not befuddled anymore after all these years.

But what can he say? Steve knows how his bug of feeling challenged by literally _anything_ has always affected him: sometimes it has been people - he has ended up in too many fights he is willing to admit; some other times it has been mundane things - he has ended up with too many questionable purchases. At least, and luckily, everything always ended up being a cool story to recount or something his friends, especially Bucky, would always laugh hysterically about.

This time is to be counted among those of the second and less painful kind of challenges though: he is standing in front of a coffee shop, with one of the worst names he has ever read, the “Y NOT? The Coffee Engineer”, and still his brain is helpfully telling him to just “yeah, ok” and go in.

Admittedly, it is the darkening hours too. It is his jacket of choice, too light even if the sunny morning of this beautiful mid-October day had been promising. It is his decision to have taken a stroll, an almost two hours stroll, throughout Central Park till now to clear up his mind and aching body. It is Loki’s fault for having taken up literally all of his day since 7am, passed at a table, with just 10 minutes to grab some lunch, just because he couldn’t make up his mind about those sceneries Steve had been dumb enough to agree to help with. It is- it is too many things, and that is how he has now found himself in the midst of Midtown Manhattan at almost 6pm, chilling and feeling challenged by a name. Stupid clever sign.

“Uhm, I’m sorry...?” a woman’s voice interrupts his musings.

Steve whips his head around and notes that he is actually blocking the entrance to a beautiful woman in high heels and business attire, someone clearly just having left one of the numerous offices in the zone.

“Oh, no no, _I_ am so sorry miss, please!” he moves to let her pass, cheeks slightly pink and not from the chilly wind.

She smiled kindly “No problem at all, thank you.” She walks past him, entering and letting the door close after her.

With a sigh to his blathering inner monologue (and to clever sellers), Steve briefly collects himself and pushes the door open, and that is when he finally acknowledges the interiors for the first time: the place itself is of medium size, chalkboard walls with random coffee related drawings and quotes, light red chairs and light-brown wooden furniture and parquet floor, but what really is original of this place are the decorations. He has expected some hipster-sorta thingy going on in shops like these, but no: there are a couple of clocks made out of…hard disks? He has a computer, sure, but he does not dwell really well in its actual components; he has seen it once when Sam had helped fixing it. Some planter here and there are actually some of those very old monitors turned upside down and filled with topsoil and fat plants. Onto the tables flowers are contained inside vases decorated with – are those foldable keyboards? Some sort of green circuit boards decorate the lights on the ceiling too, there is tech almost everywhere! With the way they have been used and posed it does not feel like he has ended up in a tech junkyard tough, it is just really different from what he had passively expected.

The place is nice, actually.

Even the menu words are composed by magnified keyboard keys magnets used to spell the various orders, from hot and cold beverages to some dishes too, mainly sandwiches.

There are just three more costumers other than himself, a strange event surely considering the shop’s central position, but it is getting pretty late and most of the people have already packed from work and gone back home. Ugh, he still has a train to catch…and his mom is not going to be home till late. ‘ _Ugh, not really lookin’ forward making dinner for myself solely, tonight._ ’

The woman from before is getting her order so he decides to linger back and read the menu.

And what a menu that is, some acronyms mixed to other nerdy reference names. No wonder Sam liked it here so much, he smiles fondly, now remembering that time he told him about this “ _sick new place, dude, not too distant from your college!_ ”

Getting closer to the counter, Steve begins reading some of it: “Ready Onthego Mocha”, “Ready Atthetable Mocha”, “JAVA – just…Java, but the coffee” (‘ _What?_ ’); some smoothies like “Apple Nectarine Dark chocolate”, “Nuts Oreo Raspberry” (‘ _Ok, that sounds…uh._ ’); some other things like “Happy Hotter (hot dark chilli chocolate)”, “Aim to bis-bee-flave (chestnut chocolate mousse and honey)”, and what seems like actual coffee “Grind them! Grind them all! (a coffee mix of different beans – now even customizable!)”

He is smiling to himself, both bemused and amused, what kind of names are these…?

“And what can I get _you_ , gorgeous?” a new voice interrupts his thoughts.

Steve looks over at the source, registering in the back of his mind that the woman has now her order and is walking towards a table, even if she stops for a moment looking back at the bartender before going on.

The guy behind the counter is...hot. Damn.  
Tall, even if not exactly as much as himself, short black hair, blue eyes bright with a sort of friendly mischief and what appears to be the first attempt at a future styled goatee.  
Aaand Steve is a goner.

Just play it cool, man. Relax. And don’t blabber. His interior Bucky’s voice was helpful.

“Uuuh...something....uh, hot?”

His Steve’s outside voice was not.

Luckily the barista chuckles at that, and not in a mean way, “Well, I’m here till closing time, so if you’re willing to wait, I’ll be ready in an hour.”

Stve can feel his embarrassment beginning to make an appearance on his face.

“Uhm, no, well, I-I mean...sorry, I was still taking everything in, it’s the first time I’ve walked in here.”

“Let’s hope it’ll be the first of many others then...” the dark-haired guy says checking him out. Hey, Steve can admit he understands he receives stares now, he has what he can affirm is a good face (handsome, according to Nat and Clint, _don’t bicker over that with them, they know what they are talking about, thank you very much_ ) and is rather built both in height and muscles, which his jacket is in fact stretching upon. He has never been so grateful for his late growth spurt as he is in this moment. And for the light jacket too, now. “So, you like it so far?” the guy keeps on asking, still smirking.

Regaining some confidence, Steve smiles back “What’s up with the names?” tilting his head towards the menu.

“Ah, those...” the barista – Tony, he reads on his nametag – shakes his head and adopts a fond expression “It’s, uhm, actually the owner, he has a...eh, a shitty time naming anything, really. But he designed the whole place, so, can’t really blame the guy for trying with those too, no?” he asks that with a sort of hopeful tone. Must be a nice boss, if he is willing to defend him.

“Not really, that’s actually amazing! I’ve noticed all those sort of...tech...thingy decorations....too?” Steve asks looking around, seeing as one of the costumers is leaving and the woman from before glancing his way. He keeps on taking every detail of the coffee shop in. “A ‘nerd nest’ of sort, not what I imagined when I decided to walk in.”

“Is it a bad thing to you?” Tony asks in a sort of guarded way now.

Bringing his eyes back to him Steve decides to clarify his statement “No, on the contrary! A friend of mine suggested it to me and now I think he maybe did it to see if I could get some of these quotes...” at Tony interested gaze he decides to explain some more. “I don’t usually have time for watching many things or reading, and when I do I tend to stick to the classics and what you can call mainstream movies, so my friends sometimes try to make me watch or read some of what _they_ consider classics.” He has started to lean onto the counter with his forearms to talk some more, seeing as there are no other costumers he is not keeping anyone a part from Tony, the same guy that is incredibly handsome, almost his age he is be inclined to say and even interested back it seems. And to whom talking to seems coming quite easy. “Even if I’ll admit – some of those acronyms don’t really make sense to me...”

Tony is now leaning on the counter too, with his hands, “Your friends sound like my kind of people. And, ah, don’t worry, not something that would really catch your eyes if you were not trained by books over books over studies about...you like electronics?”

Stave makes a face at that, “Can’t say I’m that big of a fan, I...use things, phones, computers, whatever, rather well as much as it suits me, if I have to learn something I do it quickly but surely not at certain levels. I like bikes and know how to drive and maybe assembly one almost perfectly, but, yeah, that’s it for any of my tech knowledge.” He adds sheepishly.

Tony smiles even more at that, “Well, you just listed some of my _hobbies_ , but as much as I am liking this idea of you appearing in a ‘biker babes calendar’...” he says with a lascivious stare to which Steve definitely blushes at “I was going to refer to logic gates hidden in plain sight in the menu: there is this one that’s called NOR and that’s where the Nuts Oreo Raspberry mousse comes from, see, or, well, we can go to something more, dunno, known? You know what a ROM is, yeah? Boom! There’s your Ready Onthego Mocha! You want one to drink comfy at one of our tables? Ta-da: take a RAM - Ready Atthetable Mocha! Smart, uh?”

Steve’s blush has time to lessen significantly in front of the enthusiastic way Tony’s speech had taken up speed and heat, he really enjoys both this job and whatever he is maybe studying? He seems of the right age in which someone is both studying and having a side job, just as Steve himself is doing, so he has probably been right in his initial assumption about him.

But try as he might, he can not hold his laughter back. “Well, those are certainly some names. They are, uuhm, yeah, I can go with smart and-“

“Brilliant? Canny? Genius.” Tony supplies with a convinced smirk.

“I was actually going with funny.”

“What?! You can’t be serious, throwing baby words like that in face of those brilliant menu names!” Tony lightly exclaims, bringing one hand to his heart and looking back at the magnetic boards above him. “He doesn’t know what he’s talking about, you are doing amazing, sweeties.” He concludes, casting a kiss in their direction with the hand that is not on his chest.

Steve laughs out loud at that, immediately trying to catch his outburst.

“My name is Tony, by the way.” the barista tells, now facing him again.

“Steve.”

“Well, Steve, now that I’ve charmed myself and all these magnificent creations into your heart, what can I get you?”

“What about a…what is that, _cio-cioccolatta calda_?” he reads in an accent that sounds strange to himself.

Tony arches an eyebrow giving him a blank stare. “Seriously? With all those wonderful _amazingly smart_ names, you’re gonna chose that? That’s just hot chocolate. Well, it’s really how it’s made in Italy, so maybe you’ll actually find it different, but...it’s plain chocolate, come on! I wanna hear what name you liked more!” he adds enthusiastically.

Steve smiles softly, “What can I say, maybe the names had their effect on me but the _you_ part of the ‘charming equation’ hasn’t really charmed me that much into being more adventurous?” he concludes, hoping his joking/flirty tone passes through. This guy has really captivated his attention and not only because he initially thought he has already seen him somewhere. Well, with being a maybe-student he can have seen him somewhere, even when visiting his friends’ campuses.

It seems the tone has done its job though, or Tony is just a not-backing-down type himself, because his flirty smile returns now full-force, “Ooh, honey, if you’d just let me accustom you to all the different tastes I bet you’d totally be convinced and confused at the same time.” he teases.

“That doesn’t really make any sense, whatsoever.”

“What can I say, I’m special like that, keeps people on their toes, never getting bored y’know? But! Haven’t you seen all the different coffee varieties? This is mainly a _coffee_ shop, Steve.”

“You’re far from boring, from what I can tell, and nope, still going with chocolate.”

“Aawww, but-“

“Sorry for interrupting.” It is the woman from before, her tone gentle but firm while addressing them both before focusing solely on the barista. “Tony, these are the last documents, be sure to bring them back tomorrow signed and I’ll take care of the last organizational meetings.” she concludes sliding them to him.

“Mmh, got it, signed, sealed and delivered, will do Stevie proud.” Tony answers taking the papers.

Steve furrows his brows, confused, but Tony quickly catches his expression and smirks “Not you, that’s a Wonder quote. Even if you are a wonder too.” he winks.

While Steve is occupied with toning his redness down, the woman pushes on “Tony. Tomorrow.”

“ _Fiiine_ , don’t worry, Pep, they’ll be there!”

“You too.”

“Meeh, about _that..._ ”

At her not amused staring Tony crumbles, “Ok, ok, I’ll be there too. Now go, shoo, off ye be sent to relax.”

“I’ll take my leave then.” she smiles at Steve, who smiles politely in return, before bending to grab her briefcase and walking away, adding before opening the door “And behave!”

“You know I always do!” says Tony, while she is closing the door.  
They are completely alone, now.

“A friend of yours?” asks curiously Steve.

“Think we’re always on that line crossing the ‘babysitter’ side, y’know?” Tony responds while putting the documents in a place he mutters he will remember.

“Have a couple of friends like those too.” Steve smiles.

“Back to business now!” Tony claps his hands. “One coffee, right?”

“Tony...” Steve shakes his head feeling already fondly exasperated by the guy he has basically just met…holy grail, only half an hour ago?

“Whoa, on first name basis already, darlin’? Come on, Steve. Steve. Steve, come on.” Tony keeps on calling and almost sliding over the counter towards him. “Y’know some of these amazing blends have been made by the big boss himself? Practiced and found some I’m sure you’ll like, come on!”

Steve laughs at his antics and when Tony starts to pout it is almost as if a lightning has stricken him: he wants to know this guy better. He himself is feeling like a challenge to Steve, and for once in his life in a good way. He is going to take a leap.

_Ohgoshnoheisnotgoodatthis_.

Oh, God, here he goes.

“Seeing as it is rather late now, I think I’ll skip the hot chocolate and the coffee altogether...”

“...oh.” Tony’s expression is now almost closing off and he feels a little bad for this baiting.

“So, what do you say to a sandwich? A normal sandwich, just the one, please, make it whatever you feel like I’ll love.” He goes on now more secure. He is a man with a plan. He won’t fail.

Tony’s brow is slightly furrowed but he is clearly more confused. “Oh, ok, I can make you something, no problem, I am already thinking of the top three you’re gonna, I can guarantee you, drool upon...” He trails off, never losing the thread of ready comebacks even when upset, Steve is noting.

“Fantastic. So that in-” ha catches a glimpse of the clock behind Tony “halfish an hour, when your turn finishes, my hunger will be increased by a tenfold and you can tell me all about the different coffee blends and smoothies and whatnot, over dinner.”

Steve can almost actually see the gears in Tony’s brain keep up with the decidedly different way his evening was going in the direction of. He hopes he has read the guy correctly and that he did not have any other plans, at least. Steve for sure, he certainly would not have dreamed about ending the day with a date. It has been absurdly stressful since he woke up and now Tony seems like the thing that has him replenishing with energy the more he is with him.

“Smoooooth, Steve, really smooth...” Tony says smiling and crossing his arms over his chest. “That’s why you kept me blabbing?”

Steve decides to go with honesty, “Not really, that just went sent off by itself. But I actually like listening and talking to you.” he shyly continues, “I have to admit I’d never had imagined the day turning like this but I am really glad I took that stroll.”

“Stroll?”

Steve throws him a boyish smile, “I’ll explain later, over that dinner...?” he offers.

Just as the door opens to let in what seems like will be the last couple of clients for the day, Tony answers slowly, intrigued.

“Eh. Why not?”

**Author's Note:**

> Basics behind this piece:  
> • Steve is a 21yo working and studying art, having quite the success too;  
> • Steve was walking the streets when he stumbled upon the “Y NOT? The Coffee Engineer”, he had helped his friend Thor’s brother Loki, a theatre major, with a new project;  
> • Steve doesn’t recognize Tony because he is like me really not into gossip, cite me names and I’ll be ok but make me look at some random famous people faces? I can tell some actors, but really a few. Some politicians, maybe.  
> • Tony is still our resident genius, 18yo, he already went to college and has all his shiny PhDs, Pepper is in fact his assistant. He still has his SI job where he can daily prove his brilliance, but his parents (read: Howard) have decided that for now he is to be not-so-public with making known his genius. Here's the coffee shop side project since he has too much free time on his hands.
> 
> I think that’s all I have to add that helps to know the basic points hinted at in the fic, I have a whole idea behind it but this will be it...so fill any void up with whatever else your desire!  
> Hope you have enjoyed it!:D


End file.
